Book Focuses On Hunting America's Wild Pigs

BOOKS & VIDEOS

June 10, 1990|by Tom Fegely, The Morning Call

You won't find boars, hogs or javelinas running wild in Pennsylvania (although they are present in some licensed preserves) but should you schedule a hunting trip to Texas, Virginia, Florida, Arizona, North Carolina or any of a couple dozen other states, hunting for these unusual game animals is well worth the effort.

Virginian Bob Gooch has hunted all three and his unusual book titled Hunting Boar, Hogs and Javelina covers the trio of unusual game animals in detail.

While the javelina of the Southwest is native to the U.S., such is not the case with the free-roaming hogs and boars. The Russian boar of the Great Smoky mountains and the feral hogs running wild in many other states with warm climates are often pest species, the latter with no closed season.

Gooch covers the history, ranges, hunting techniques and methods of table preparation for all the "porkers" in his one-of-a-kind book. He also includes an extensive list of outfitters and preserve operators offering "pig hunts."

I've hunted Florida's hogs and Texas' javelinas, then sampled the tasty barbecued meat of both. Truly they're overlooked game animals that provide bonuses on distant hunts for deer or turkey.

The 204-page, soft cover book, illustrated with black-and-white photographs, is available for $8.95 plus $1.50 postage and handling from Bob Gooch, Route 1, Box 265, Troy, VA 22974. Books will be autographed and personalized upon request.